How to best get birds out?
 

Discovered this afternoon that we have birds nesting in our roof on the house, and chances are they probably have a family soon to arrive!!!

Main problem is that our house does not have a loft, the second level was built with high ceilings and as such the small void between the interior ceiling and the outer roof tiles is a sealed space that I can not easily access :(

I have considered just blocking their entrance, but that could end up with a family of birds in our roof dying and starting to smell a bit funky!

Any good advice on how to deal with this one would be greatly appreciated...

Do the birds migrate in Finland? If so wait for them to leave then close off the entrance. That is what I do when they get in my attic.

Can you get up there and see inside the space from where they are getting in to assess if there are eggs yet?

Take it from there.

Good advice Peppy, but I think this is the small verity that do not migrate in the winter :(

As stomachmonkey suggests, I will have to get up there and see if I can get to see in enough to assess the situation.

Can birds do long term damage in there?

They woke us up last night scrambling above our heads! Thought it was squirrels at first. Stood outside this afternoon and watched two small birds appear from the gap and fly off - so now i know it is birds and where they are getting in and out at least...

Wait a week or two until they are gone, clean out the space, and put up some screen.
Squirrels will do damage to houses, but most birds won't (except woodpeckers during mating season).

Here's a tip: If they get in the house, open a light window, and darken everything else. Stay back, be calm, and don't panic them.
They will fly out towards the light. Works with insects too.

That sounds like a good plan. We are actually having the house painted this summer, so will get all the holes covered and screen put up where appropriate...

I spoke to the chap next door and he said that he has had problems with squirrels, and although we have now seen the birds we should still be prepared for squirrels as well :(

Cat slingshot.